Camera.



PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

CAMERA.

uPLIoATIoN FILED APB. 2z, 1899. l c7 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. GOODWIN, DBCD.

E. GOODWIN, EXBGUTRIX.

y mvENmR H @aww/n,

moRNEYs No MODEL.

u Tl x m N. 764,288. Y PATBNTED JULY 5, 1904.

A H. GOODWIN, DEW-D.

B.. GOODWIN, EXBOUTBIX.

CAMERA.

APPLIOATIONAIILED APB.. 22, 1899.

N0 IODEL. 4 SHEETB-BHEET 2.

i/vmsss: I INVENTUM PATBNTED JULY 5, 1904.

H. GODWIN, DEGD.

B.. GOODWIN, EXBGUTRIX.

CAMERA.

APPLIQATION FILED APR. 22, 189e.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

wnNEssEs:

INVENTOR# al W ATTORNEYS.

N0. 764,288.l PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

H. GOODWIN, DEGD.

R. GOODWIN, EXBGUTBIX. CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22 1899. No MODEL- l 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- WITNESSES: lNVEN-TOR;

ORNEYS.

UNITED STATES Patented July 5, 1904.

PATENT OEEICE.

HANNIBAL GOODIVIN, OF NEIVARK, NEW JERSEY; REBECCA GOO'DIVIN EXECUTRIX OF SAID HANNIBAL GOODWIN, DECEASED.

CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,288, dated July 5, 1904.

Application tiled April 22, 1899. Serial No. 714,069. (No model.)

"l'oiall whom it may concern:

B e it known that I, HANNIBAL GOODWIN, a citizen of the United States` residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cameras; and I do hereby declare the following to be a'full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of cameras in which fiexible photographic films are employed, the objects of the present improvements being to secure greater coinpaotness in arrangement of parts, Where by the camera will be more convenient for transportation; to facilitate and render more convenient the manipulation of the film and to prevent improper operation 'of the same due to inadvertence on the part of the operator; to secure a more perfect exclusion of light, whereby the film may not be fogged in the act of manipulation; to provide for a very quick loading of the filmholder whether in the daylight or in the darkness, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the working parts. I

rIhe invention consists in the improved camera, in the film-holder therefor, and in the arrangements and combinations of parts of the same, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 is a plan of the body of the camera containing my improvements, the cover or top plate being removed to show the interior arrangement ofparts more clearly. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken on line e of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section of the film-holder, taken at line m', Fig. 2. Fig. e is a side elevation of the body of the film-liolder detached from the camera-box. Fig. 5 is a front view of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of a pressure-plate adapted to force the unexposed films against the open diaphragm or into the focal plane of the lens. Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of an open diaphragm adapted to be arranged, in connection with the body of the film-holder, to form a chamber for the unexposed films and their backings. Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively sections of the same, taken on lines 112 and m3. Fig. l() is an elevation of a rear plate, forming, with the said body, a dark or storage chamber for the light-impressed films; and Fig. 11 is a section of the same on line fr?. Fig. 1Q is a central vertical section of the rear end of the camera, on an enlarged scale and showing the films loaded or in a position to be drawn after exposure into' the dark chamber; and Fig. 13 is a plan of a film as employed in the camera.

In said drawings, (t indicates a camera-box or outer casing of the camera. This may be of the ordinary box-like form with a lens of fixed focus, as shown in Figs. l and 2, or it may be, and sometimes preferably is, of the bellows type of camera box or inclosure, unnecessary to illustrate because of its common use in the art. This box is Aprovided with a lens, shutters for the lens, and finders, adjustable stops or diaphragms for graduating the entrance of light, Sac., all as are common in the majority of cameras. At the back of the said camera-box is separably or removably arranged a sliding film-holder in which the present invention more particularly inliercs. This comprises a body or frame c, constructed of wood or metal, or both, or of any other suitable material or combination of materials, and has a partition c', adapted to stand in the Ncamera parallel with the focal plane of the lens a little back from said focal plane when in operative relation. This partition c' is of the size or approximates the size of the celluloidal film to be employed and hereinafter more fully d'escribed. Surrounding this partition c is formed or secured a four-sided frame c2, which is preferably of woodand within which the said partition c" is fitted. The fourth side or bottom is hinged in the preferred construction. It may be integral or be dispensed with.

Between the lower side or bottom c3 of the frame and the lower edge' of the partition an opening d lis provided of sufficient width and depth to permit the transfer or passage of the films from the front of the said partition to the back thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully described. Between the side parts c4 c4 of the said frame and about midway between the bottom edge of the partition c and the lower side of the frame is secured a partition c5, preferably curved, adapted to serve as a guide or bearing over which the film is bent in its passage from the front to the rear. Near the lower edge of the said partition c the same is provided with a forwardly-projecting stop pin or pins c, each of which is adapted to lie within a perforation formed in the film, the said pin or pins c serving as supports or holders for the series of unexposed films within the front chamber e, preventing the same from being drawn downward by friction when the front film of the series after exposure to the light is being drawn down, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

The side parts c4 04 of the frame attheir front edges are provided with lips c7 08, providing hinge pins or bearings for a pivotal open diaphragm and suitable catches therefor. On the outside of said side parts c* c4 of the frame are formed projecting lips or slideways c c, adapted to enter the vertical slideways a in the camera-box a, as shown in Fig. l, whereby the film-holder may be conveniently and quickly raised from the camera-box when empty or lowered into said camera-box after having been loaded.

Upon 'the hinge-bearings at the front of the body e is arranged the open diaphragm g. This is adapted. to close the front of the frame and form, with said body ,the front chamber e. It lies at the focal'plane of the camera vand provides a bearing for the film within said frame at the front of the series of films in said chamber, the said film being pressed forward against the rear side of the said openv diaphragm by means within the chamber e, such as will be hereinafter described.

The side parts ci@4 of the frame are provided with short slots 010, adapted to receive pintles 7L', formed or secured to the movable pressure-plate L within the chamber e to guide the movement of said pressure-plate, as will be hereinafter set forth.

,Atl the back of the open diaphragm g is securedza spring or springs e', the said springs i being attached to the diaphragm/at the upper edge or ends of the said spring, and at the lower ends or edge the said spring z normaliy` projects back from the open diaphragnr -to pre-vent a sharp flexing of the film and the possible injury thereto incident to flexing and drawing operations.

Below the open diaphragm g the sides c# a4 of the body-frame e2 extend forward alimited distance to provide increased space within the frame for the insertion of the curved parv tition c5, hereinbeforc referred to, and the said curved partition extends a little forward from the plane of the open diaphragm g, so that the film when drawn upon will be caused to move forward against the springz'- at the lower edge of the latter from the position first assumed in the focal plane, and thus become adapted to pass downward from the pins between said pin and spring and thence into the dark chamber f.

The opening g2 in the front diaphragm g is of a suitable size and shape to permit the light-rays from the lens to pass to and efect photographic action upon the sensitive films .lying behind said partition.

The lower side or bottom c3 of the bodyframe 02 may be integral or otherwise permanently and securely fixed to the side parts c4 c* of said frame; but I prefer to form the said bottom of an independent piece and hinge the same, as at cl3, at one end to one side of the frame and provide a suitable cooperating catch c, Fig. 5, at the opposite end of said hinged piece c3, by means of which in loading the holder may be opened at said bottom and the series or collection of films, suitably bent or doubled, as hereinafter described, may be inserted within the holder. The parts of the films having the sensitive films attached pass into the chamber e at thefront of the partition c, and the hand extensions o f said films, hereinafter referred to, pass into the chamber f at the back of the said partition.

At the back of the body of the holder the side plates 0i of the frame project rearwardly from the partition 0'; but the top or fourth side el is devoid of 'a rearward extension, so that an outpassage-opening from the dark chamber f is formed. The rear edges of the said frame c2 provide suitable bearings for a back plate k, suitably constructed to make close joints with the body-frame and prevent the transmission of light into the dark cham- IOO ber. Said plate may be hinged to the frame, as at 1. vided to hold said back plate in position on the body-frame to form, vwith said body-frame and partition c', a dark chamber. Said dark chamberf, thus formed, has open communication with the front chamber through the opening Z beneath the partition c, as her-einbefore described. At the top or side opposite said communicating opening Z the dark chamber f is provided with a contracted opening f' for the outpassage of the finger extensions of the film, the construction of said outpassage-opening being formed in any suitable manner. The opening has a capacity to receiveadefinite predetermined number of handle extensions of the films, which fill the said opening and prevent the inpassage of light from the outside.

Suitable means (-not shown) may be provided at the outside of the outpassage-opening to further guard against an inpassage of light to the dark chamber, and means thereat may be employed to facilitate the cutting or tearing of the handle extensions after the same have been drawn out from the dark chamber.

Behind the series of unexposed films F, Fig. 12, in the chamber e is arranged the pressureplate la., before referred to. vThis is held in proper operative position within the chamber by means of pins 7L', formed at the side edges, as in Fig. 6, and lying within the slots C10, also above referred to. The said pressure-plate more or less closely conforms to the size of the partition c and is provided at the back with a spring or springs if, attached thereto in any suitable manner and adapted to press the said pressureplate /L forward against the rear of the series of films to bring the films forward one by one into the focal plane of the lens as the forward films of the series are drawn away.

The films employed in the holder thus constructed each comprises a comparatively long strip of non-actinic paper m or equivalent' material, preferably of opaque black, and a sensitive portion n. At one end of the said paper is fastened the sensitive portion carrying or bearing the sensitive gelatino-bromid of silver. The paper at the said end serves as a backing for the sensitive portion and prevents the transmission of light from the front sensitive portionof the series, when the latter is being light-impressed, to the next sensitive portion of the series. rlhe portion of the paper forward from the said backing, as at o, serves as a finger extension of the film and is of sufiicient length to pass from said backing to and through the outpassage-opening and to project from said opening a distance sufcient to enable the same to be grasped by the hand of the operator.

Thus the said films when loaded l within the holder may be first grasped by the Suitable catches Z are prohand and drawn outward one by one, the operator grasping the first of the series the sensitive portion of which lies in the focal plane, having been exposed to the light of the lens. In drawing upon this hand extension that portion ofv the film lying at the stop-pin c is drawn forward and off from said pin, the curved partition c5 serving in effecting such a result. After being drawn from said pin the backing and its sensitive portion are free to be drawn downward under the convex lower side of the partition and thence upward into the dark chamber f, where the film is stored. The finger extension o of said film is provided with suitable indicating-marks, such as perforations p, which appear to sight when the film arrives wholly within the dark chamber, and this indicates that the operation of drawing may be discontinued.

The films are provided with perforations q for the stop-pins and serial numbers fr at the outside extremities of the hand extensions.

The camera-box is suitably formed to permit the inpassage of the film-holder and may be provided with a cover to close the said film-holder, the cover being provided with a suitable opening through which the finger extensions of the film may be drawn.

I am aware that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spiritor scope of the invention, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself by the positive terms employed in describing the construction of parts, &c., excepting as the state of the art may require.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new isl. The combination with a camera-box,- of a film-holder providing two chambers in parallel relation and communicating at one edge, said holder having a door opposite said edge, and one of said chambers having at its opposite edge a film-exit, and a flexing bearing between the communicating' edges of said chambers.

2. The combination with the camera-box, of a removable film-holder comprising a box with rigid walls and having parallel compartments communicating at one edge of said box, the side or wall of the box at said edge being hinged to swing open, and one of said chambers having at its opposite edge a film-exit, and a fiexing bearing between the communicating edges of said chambers.

'3. The combination with the camera-box having slideways on opposite interior walls, of a film-holder providing parallel compartments communicating at one edge of the holder and one being open at the opposite edge, a bearing at said line of communication of.' the compartments, and flanges upon those edges IOO IIO

IZO

of the holder alternating with therahoVe-rnentioned edges and being adapted to engage said slideways .of the Camera-box.

4. A film-holder, having a Chamber open to the 'light-rays of a lens, a dark chamber formed back of the rst said chamber, stop-pins c, projecting from the back of said front charnber. toward its open front, and a leaf spring or springs 7.7, bearing against the ends of said IO pins, land a bea-ring c3, adapted to guide the lilrns and their supports forward and away from the free ends of the pins preliminary to liexing them as they are drawn into the dark chamber, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I I5 have hereunto set my hand. y

HANNIBAL GOODWIN. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, C. B. PITNEY. 

